Cleaning and polishing device



May 23, 1939. 1 YL 2,159,719

CLEANING AND POLISHING DEVI-CE Filed N08 5. 193a lax/5 ,4. TYLER.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY-5 Patented Ma 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,159,719 CLEANING, AND POLISHING DEVICE Leslie A. Tyler, Dunmore, Pa. Application November 5, 1936, Serial No. 109,397

' aci'aims. (01.15-230) The present invention relates to cleaning and polishing devices particularly designed for telephone and telegraph jack cleaning purposes.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable and efiicient device for cleaning and polishing telephone jacks, the device adapted to be used with any ordinary hand drill or similar tool.

A further'object of the invention is to provide a l 1,0, cleaning and polishing device of the character stated that is adjustable for cleaning any standard size'telephoneor telegraph jack mounted on a panel of any thickness.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a cleaning and polishing element supported over one end of ashaft intermediate its ends and the ends secured to a flanged nut that is rotatable on the shaft. The invention will be fully and comprehensive- 1y understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms part of the application.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cleaning and polishing device assembled for use.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1.

. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thru the 3 device.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4, 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the flange and lock nuts respectively; and 35 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the clip for securing the cleaning element upon the flanged nut.

Referring to the drawing for a. more detailed j description thereof, the numeral 8 indicates a 0 shaft formed of tool steel, brass or any similar hard substance, which is threaded intermediate its ends as at 9 for the reception of the flanged ;nut I 0 and lock' nut II, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

45 The end or the shaft 8 is provided with transverse intersecting grooves I2 and I3 within which the flexible cleaning and polishing element [4 is positioned for cleaning a telephone jack or the like. The cleaning element 14 may be formed of 5 any desired soft, flexible material such as cord or string andis supportedon the shaft 8 by means of the flange nut l0, said nut being provided with a. series of grooves I5 on the periphery thereof through which the flexible cleaning element is 5 threaded. For retaining the cleaning element [4 within the grooves [5 there are provided spring clips 16, one end thereof being positioned within a recess l1 and the curved end [8 supported in an opening I 9 provided in the flanged portion Ill of the nut ID. The ends of the cleaning element 5 are clamped in the spring portion of the clip i6 and said clips serve the further purpose of maintaining the proper tension on the cleaning element. The said clips are rigidly fastened to the flanged nut by soldering in the position illusl0 trated in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

When using the device for cleaning a telephone jack, the outside of the jack is first moistened with a liquid cleaner. The free end of the shaft 8 is positioned within a chuck 20 of a rotary 5 tool, the forward or entering end of the shaft 8 is inserted into the jack until it touches the extreme end of the jack. The flanged nut I 0, which has been positioned towards. the free end of the shaft, is then rotated so as to be in contact 20 with the outside face of the jack after which the lock nut l l is locked against flanged nut If! to prevent its further movement on shaft. After obtaining the proper adjustment of the flanged nut 10, the device is prepared for work by the 25 attachment of the cleaning element in the following manner. One end of the string or the cleaning element is positioned within one of the spring clips ['6 and is then wound thru the groove closest to the clip and then into one of the intersecting grooves l2 or l3. Continued winding of the string places it into another groove l5 and clips [6 on the opposite side, then into the next adjacent clip not previously used and then successively thru intersecting grooves l3 and I5 and into the remaining clip after which the cleaning element may be severed. The above operations are very simple and are performed in a few seconds and the positioning of the cleaningelement is accomplished in a manner similar to the winding of a string on a spinning top. The device is then positioned within the jack and rotated thru the rotary tool. A few rotations of the drill will thoroughly clean the jack and the operation may be repeated as often as desired. After cleaning several jacks new cleaning elements are applied and polish added, after which the cleaner serves also as a polisher by rotating the tool as above indicated. The cleaning element 14 may be replaced as often as desired, which operation is a simple one and is accomplished as described above.

The flanged nut I0 is provided with a raised ring 2| for the purpose of cleaning indentations in the face of the ordinary jack. This nut is in contact with the face of the jack during the entire cleaning or polishing process and prevents tip of shaft 8 from bearing too hard on the inside of the jack. The said flanged nut H] is adjustable on the threads 9 of the shaft 8 so that the forward or entering end of the shaft 8 containing the cleaning element may be lengthened or shortened so as to clean or polish the entire length of the jack at the same time cleaning or polishing the face of the jack. This feature enables the one device to cleanjacks mounted on panels of any thickness. The lock nut H serves the purpose of locking the flanged nut l0 into place thus maintaining the desired length of the forward end of the shaft 8. v r

It is to be understood that this improvement is cap-able of extended application and is 'n'otcon fined to the exact showing. of the drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be" made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims. 7

What is claimed as new is:

l. A cleaning and polishing device of the character described, comprising a shaft threaded intermediate its ends, one end face of said shaft having transverse slots for receiving a flexible cleaning and polishing element, a flanged nut mounted for rotation on the threaded portion of said shaft, means within said flanged nut for re:- ceiving the flexible cleaning and polishing eleported in grooves in the body portion of said nut,

and means for adjusting the device by means of the flanged nut so as to clean the entire depth of jack at the same time cleaning the face thereof.

3; A cleaning and polishing device of the character'described, comprising a shaft threaded intermediate its ends, one end face of said shaft having transverse slots for receiving a flexible cleaning and polishing element, a flanged nut mounted for rotation on the threaded portion of said shaft, a raised cleaning ring formed on the front face of said nut for facilitating pressing a cleaning element against an annular surface to be cleaned, means within said flanged nut for receiving the flexible cleaning and polishin element, said means comprisingclip-like members carried by the periphery of said nut, and means carried by said. shaft for locking said nut.

LESLIE A. TYLER. 

